[Jonathank]

Imagine if blackberry had been working on BlackBerry 10 during the beginning of Android. Do you think it would have been the choice of "the people"? it seems blackberry was only started BlackBerry10 when they started loosing customers. If only they looked at the future ahead of time instead of playing catch up. I love blackberry 10 and can only think the reason it failed was because it came too late. It's an amazing platform and it's unfortunate it's now basically dead BUT would it have been successful IF it was on time?

[anon(5223949)]

There really is no way of knowing this one.
I'd love to say so but then look at what happened with Palm and the webOS devices. Released at the right time, a MUCH better OS than anything else around at the time (even the tech journalists loved it), however it failed so so badly to capture the eye of the general public.
I have a feeling that BB10 would have suffered the same fate had it arrived in 08/09. The only saving grace could have been that the enterprise world still relied heavily on BlackBerry devices at the time.

Posted from my classic!

[conite]

Imagine if blackberry had been working on BlackBerry 10 during the beginning of Android. Do you think it would have been the choice of "the people"? it seems blackberry was only started BlackBerry10 when they started loosing customers. If only they looked at the future ahead of time instead of playing catch up. I love blackberry 10 and can only think the reason it failed was because it came too late. It's an amazing platform and it's unfortunate it's now basically dead BUT would it have been successful IF it was on time?

BlackBerry only bought QNX in 2010, so they couldn't have started BB10 development any sooner. It then took them about 3 years to bring it to market - which isn't an unexpected timeline.

They needed to have a deliverable by 2008.

[Jonathank]

your not getting me... what if BlackBerry saw the potential of Android and saw the risk it would cause them and say scooped up QNX way before 2010. Like I said, what if they predicted the future and was ahead of the game. Say they bought QNX in 2007 when the curve was hot... Like what if they were already looking for the next best thing when they were already on top? Do you think that they would still be on top?

[conite]

your not getting me... what if BlackBerry saw the potential of Android and saw the risk it would cause them and say scooped up QNX way before 2010. Like I said, what if they predicted the future and was ahead of the game. Say they bought QNX in 2007 when the curve was hot... Like what if they were already looking for the next best thing when they were already on top? Do you think that they would still be on top?

Why involve QNX? The only reason they acquired them was to save a couple of years of development because they were SO far behind.

They had to have started the new OS back in 2004 to have something by 2008 - whether it be Neutrino-based or not.

[Chuck Finley69]

your not getting me... what if BlackBerry saw the potential of Android and saw the risk it would cause them and say scooped up QNX way before 2010. Like I said, what if they predicted the future and was ahead of the game. Say they bought QNX in 2007 when the curve was hot... Like what if they were already looking for the next best thing when they were already on top? Do you think that they would still be on top?

No because the battle is not one by who's got the best OS. It's who gets there first with the biggest pile of cash and can afford to buy the OEMs with that cash.

Additionally, Microsoft had the cash but Google embraced the Mobile OS space because they weren't afraid of cutting into their non-Mobile OS marketshare, simply put, Microsoft had conflicts with its existing business revenue streams. Very similar to BB situation with BBOS revenue stream vs any replacement OS limited to no initial revenue stream. BB lacked both the pile of cash and the cash presses to print more.

[mikeath]

it's not often the best tech wins... look at any of the media format wars...

[anon(9188202)]

Like all good fairy tales, it would have to have a happy ending, of course. Sign me up!

[Jonathank]

At the time they had the market share and the cash. Like you said it's who got there 1st and that's what this post is about. IF BlackBerry was 1st with BlackBerry 10 before or on time with Android do u think they would still have the same market share they once did?

[Chuck Finley69]

At the time they had the market share and the cash. Like you said it's who got there 1st and that's what this post is about. IF BlackBerry was 1st with BlackBerry 10 before or on time with Android do u think they would still have the same market share they once did?

Thats my point. At its peak, BB DIDN'T have the cash to compete against each of the big three let alone, big three at the same time. Each company had exponentially a magnitude of cash in excess of BB total free cash flow. Think a Prius surrounded by 20-30 eighteen wheelers constantly.

[anon(10268214)]

You've all got it wrong. Forget QNX and what it could have been. They should have bought Android.

[Troy Tiscareno]

BB would have not only had to offer a terrific OS, but they'd also need to have world-class online services (of which they had none), world-class development languages and development environments (and support), global payment systems for developers and end-users, and a bunch of other things that they lacked. If they'd have been years earlier, then, yes, it's possible that they'd have drawn more investment dollars and might have been able to get some of those things funded, but, as pointed out, BB never had the kind of size or revenue needed, and frankly didn't have the expertise and experience in building robust online services for consumers that were extremely important for a successful mobile OS.

BB was never a consumer-focused company to begin with, and kind of fell into consumer sales by accident, and were popular with consumers for a few years until Apple changed the game. But it certainly wasn't a company with big consumer focus - the whole BB culture was always about supporting enterprise and government, and IMO, that alone doomed them in the consumer market once real competition showed up.

[co4nd]

Even if BB10 was released earlier there still was the problem of RIMS Management Team's lack of vision. It isn't just about building a great phone. It's about building a phone, ecosystem, and services people want.

[enwsiths]

Unfortunately the keyword in this conversation is the word apps. If Blackberry didn't lose time with the os 7 and started developing earlier th BlackBerry 10 os, things may be were different now, but who knows...

[Carjackd]

“Tools not toys”, “you don’t need apps”....not watching trends, arrogance and being too busy trying to buy a hockey team for Hamilton is what killed blackberry fortunately they are pushing out a pretty good product now via BBMO but rebuilding is difficult

[thurask]

Starting earlier and/or buying Android instead of QNX assumes that either of those solutions would do the necessary task of throwing out the deeply entrenched corporate ideologies that greatly contributed to where the company is today.

Mike and Jim quitting while they were ahead would be an interesting thought experiment, though.

[YesAndNo]

BlackBerry 10 is the best secure smartphone Os there is period. Android is simply a spying and personal data collecting tool for gov agencies and corporations.

[conite]

BlackBerry 10 is the best secure smartphone Os there is period. Android is simply a spying and personal data collecting tool for gov agencies and corporations.

You're confusing security with privacy.

Nevertheless, if you had installed and run Facebook on BB10, and agreed to it, it would have harvested your contacts just like any other platform.

[DrBoomBotz]

BlackBerry 10 is the best secure smartphone Os there is period. Android is simply a spying and personal data collecting tool for gov agencies and corporations.

I see you have brought a chicken to a duck fight.

[Chuck Finley69]

I see you have brought a chicken to a duck fight.

Did someone holler we’re having fried chicken for dinner?

[johnny_bravo72]

Uh-oh...

[DrBoomBotz]

Well that escalated quickly.

[Emaderton3]

Geez, obviously OP is only looking for one answer:

YES! If they did that we would all be using BlackBerry.

Now back to rolling my eyes.

[kvndoom]

You've all got it wrong. Forget QNX and what it could have been. They should have bought Android.

Exactly this! Google saw where the market was heading and reacted accordingly.

BlackBerry and Microsoft scoffed, turned up their noses, and paid the price with billions of dollars in losses and two dead OS'es.

[kvndoom]

BlackBerry 10 is the best secure smartphone Os there is period. Android is simply a spying and personal data collecting tool for gov agencies and corporations.

Shark. Jumped.